Unitary bundling straps



H. B. MARTIN ETAI. UNITARY BUNDLING STRAPS Filed March 20', 1961 Sept. 3, 1963 O 0- 0 O 0 A? O IN VEN TORS- #AROLD 5. MAI/e77 HOW/2R0 4S. GIBSON FRANCIS A. O'LOUGl/L/N United States Patent 3,102,311 UNITARY BUNDLING STRAPS Harold B. Martin, Roselle, Howard B; Gibson, Glen Ridge, and Francis A. OLoughlin, Scotch Plains, N.J., assignors to The Thomas & Betts (30., Elizabeth, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 96,735 3 Claims. (Cl. 24-16) The invention relates to bundling or tie-straps and more particularly to a unitary, flexible plastic tie-strap adapted to be looped upon itself in adjusted self-locking relation.

More specifically, the invention relates to a reversible, flexible tie-strap of molded plastic, such as nylon for example, which is adapted to be looped about linear articles, arranged in bunched parallelism, with its tail end passed through its head end and. drawn taut thereon manually in small increments of adjustment into selflocking relation.

Bundling, wire lacing and tie-straps of this character, as known heretofore, possessed certain disadvantages in that they were not of the unitary type, were not capable of small increments of adjustment, had to be locked upon themselves either by means of an auxiliary part held captive thereon such as a wedge block, ratchet buckle 'or the like and which had to be drawn'taut, and its surplus end portion subsequently twisted orotherwise secured and severed with a special hand tool or the like.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved bundling or tie-strap which is not subject to the above noted disadvantages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reversible bundling or tie-strap which is of extremely simple unitary construction, highly efiicient for the purposes intended, and which is readily manipulated and looped around a group of articles in mechanically locked relation without the use of special tools, hooks or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide. an im proved bundling or tie-strap in the form ofa wholly integral flexible plastic member including coactable means whereby the tail-end of the strap may be looped through its head-end in mechanical, self-locking" relation by simply pulling the strap taut about a group of articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved, unitary bundling or tie-strap wherein integral coactable means adapted for locking the opposite end portions of the strap in looped relation, do not come into intimate contact with articles about which it may be looped and thus obviates abrading the same.

A further subject of the invention is to provide an improved unitary bundling or tie-strap wherein either face of the body portion of thestrap may be brought into facing relation with'a bundle of articles in the permanent locking thereof about the same in looped relation.

With the above and other objects in view, thevinvention resides in the novel construction, combination, and

arrangement of parts, the novel features of which are the improved bundling strap .as looped around a bundle of insulated wire conductors and the successive stages in which the integral locking means coact, during the drawing of the strap taut thereon, tosecure the strap ends against reverse movement;

3,lt2,3ll v Patented Sept. 3, 1963 FIG. 2 is a side view of the improved bundling strap per se, in elevation;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the same; 7

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the head-end portion of the improved bundling strap;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing, the improved bundling or tiestrap, generally indicated at 10, comprises a tail-end portion 12, a head-end portion 14, and a body portion 16. As best shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the tail-end portion 12, is of reduced uniform thickness, and tapered transversely into a narrow, rounded end, as at 18, the tail-end portion being provided in its top and bottom face with a plurality of aligned, equally spaced annular depressions or cavities 20, whereby to provide .a non-slip finger grip surface thereon.

The body portion 16, of the strap 10, is of substantially I beam configuration in cross-section, as best shown in FIG. 6, with its opposite faces provided with a row of saw teeth 24, extending from the tail-end portion 12 of the strap 10, to the head-end portion 14 thereof, as in FIG. 3, the respective rows of saw-teeth 24, being off-set from each other lengthwise of the strap 10 to stagger the same as clearly shown in FIG. 5.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the side margins of the body portion 16, of the strap 10, have a Width dimension greater than the height of the respective rows of sawteeth 24, and a thickness such as to form a substantial wall 26, along the opposite ends of the saw-teeth 24, whereby the crown edges thereof are protected against damage or wear, as in the handling thereof, and whereby the crown edges and respective ends of the saw-teeth24, are maintained out of contact or engagement with the surface of articles, about which the strap 10, may be secured, including other elements or apparatus adjacent thereto, to obviate abrasion or other injury to the surface of said articles and/or adjacent elements. Inasmuch as the strap is reversible, in accordance with the invention, the above is true regardless of which face of the strap 10, isinnermost when looped upon itself about said articles. Moreover, the top and bottom marginal edges of the aforesaid walls 26 are substantially rounded, as at 28, to obviate sharp corners or edges thereon.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the head-end portion 14,

of the strap 10, is of enlarged, rectangular formation with its opposite faces tapering into menging relation with the thereof and in diametrically opposite relation with the center of the rectangular top face 34, of the blank portion .32, of the strap body portion 16, a clearance space between the said top face 34, and the free end of the flexible tooth 38, being such as to permit passage of the uniformly reduced tail-end portion 12 of the strap 10, therethrough. Thus, the saw teeth 24, on both sides of the body portion of the strap 10, and the rigid teeth'36, and flexible pawl-like member 38, within the head-end opening 30, constitute the means, integral with the strap 10, for locking the respective end portions thereof in looped relation in accordance with the invention.

In the use of the improved bundling or tie-strap 10, as herein described, either side or face of the strap 10, is placed about a bundle of insulated wire conductors C, as in FIG. 1, for example, and its tail-end portion 12, extended through the head-end opening 30, as shown in broken lines at A, to bring the bottom row of the sawteeth 24, into cooperable relation with the outer one of the oppositely disposed rigid teeth 36, and the other row of the saw-teeth 24, into coactable relation with the flexible, pawl-like tooth 38, which flexes'as the body portion 16, of the strap is drawn through the head-end opening 30, as shown in broken lines at B, until the looped portion of the strap 10, is in full contacting engagement with the conductor bundle C, whereupon the outer one of the rigid teeth 36, is brought into locking engagement with one of the saw-teeth 24, in the bottom row thereof while the flexible pawl-like tooth 38, ratchets along the upper row of saw-teeth 24, to hold the strap taut and against reverse movement, during the interval that the aforesaid rigid tooth 36 engages the next successive sawtooth in the bottom row upon further movement of the free end portion of the strap through its head-end opening 3,0,until the strap 10 has'been finally drawn taut about the conductor bundle C, as shown in full lines at E, in FIG. 1.

When the opposite face or side of the strap 10 is brought into contact or facing relation with a bundle of articles, the opposite or inner rigid tooth 36, in FIG. 1,

cooperates with oneof the rows of saw-teeth'24, in the same manner as the outer rigid tooth 36, in FIG. 1, in conjunction withthe flexible, pawl-like tooth 38. Thus, in drawing-the strap 10, to taut position about a bundle of articles, reverse movement of the looped body portion of the strap 10, relative to its head-end portion 14, is prevented by the step by step ratchet-like engagement of the flexible, pawl-like tooth 38, with the upper or active row of saw-teeth 24, during passage of the body portion of said strap through its apertured head-end portion 14, as in FIG. 1, whereby the strap 10, is permanently locked in a position of final adjustment, whereupon the extended free end of its tail-end portion 12, if any, may be cutoff if desired. 1

It is tobe noted that the staggeringof the respective rows of saw-teeth24 along the opposite faces of the body portion 16, of the strap 10, as illustrated in FIG. 5, provides for the passage of only one of the saw-teeth 24 at a time between the active one of the rigid teeth 36, and

the flexible pawl-like tooth 38, whereby the easier drawing of the toothed body portion of the strap through the rectangular opening 30, in the head-end portion 14, thereof is facilitated.

From the foregoing, it will be clearly apparent that the invention provides a reversible, unitary bundling strap which is extremely simple in construction and operation, capable of minute increments of adjustment to permanently locked taut position on and about a bundle of articles, and in which the novel, coactable locking means integral with the strap, are below the level of the article engaging surfaces thereof whereby the surfaces of articles bound by the strap as well'as other elements or apparatus adjacent thereto are protected against abrasion and like injury. Moreover, the formation of the coactable looking means below the article engaging. surfaces of the strap protects the same against damage as in the handling thereof.

While the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be expressly understood that modifications may be made thereln without departing from the inventive concept underlying the same. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited except as is necessitated by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A unitary plastic bundling strap adapted to be looped upon itself in adjustable self-locking relation comprising a tail-end portion, a body portion, an enlarged head-end portion having a rectangular opening therein, a pair of rigid wedge-like members integral with said head-end portion and disposed oppositely of each other and within said opening, each of said members having one side edge in a common plane running transverse to the opening, ,a flex-. ible pawl integral with said head-end portion and disposed within said opening in spaced diametrically opposite relation and centrally between said wedge-like members, and a row of ratchet teeth formed on and extending lengthwise of the opposite faces of said body portion in staggered relation, said wedge-like members and said flexible pawl being spaced apart a distance not greater than the thickness of the toothed body portion, whereby the body portion is adapted to be secured about a bundle of articles by passing the tail-end portion through the rectangular opening and drawing the same so that the ratchet teeth freely pass between the flexible pawl and the wedge-like membersuntil the strap is taut, wherein the outer of said wedge-like members and the flexible pawl will engage opposite ratchet teeth on the body portion preventing rearward movement of said body portion.

2. A unitary plastic bundling strap adapted to be looped upon itself in adjustable self-locking relation comprising a tail-end portion, a body portion of I-beam cross-section, an enlarged head-end portion having a rectangular opening therein, a pair of rigid wedge-like members integral with said head-end portion and disposed oppositely of each other and within said opening, each of said members having one side edge in a common plane running transverse to the opening, a flexible pawl integral with said head-end portion and disposed within said opening in spaced diametrically Iopposite relation and centrally between said wedge-like members, and a row of ratchet teeth formed on and extending lengthwise of the opposite faces of said body portion in staggered relation with the crown edges thereof being disposed below the margins of said body portion, said wedge-like members and said flexible pawl being spaced apart a distance not greater than the thickness of the toothed body portion, whereby the body portion is adapted to be secured about a bundle of articles by passing the tail-end portion through the rectangular opening and drawing the same so that the ratchet teeth freely pass between the flexible pawl and the wedge-like members until the strap is taut, wherein the outer of said wedge-like members and the flexible pawl will engage 0pposite ratchet teeth on the body portion preventing rearward movement of said body portion.

3. A reversible unitary plastic bundling strap adapted to be looped upon itself in adjustable self-locking relation comprising a tapered tail-end portion, a body portion of I-beam cross section, an enlarged head-end portion having a rectangular opening therein, a pair of rigid wedge-like members integral with said head end portion and disposed in oppositely facing relation within said opening, each of said members having a common side edge running transverse to the opening, a flexible pawl integral with said head-end portion and disposed within said opening in spaced diametrically opposite relation and centrally between said wedge-like members, and a row of ratchet teeth extending lengthwise of the opposite faces of said body portion in staggered relation with the crown edges thereof being disposed below the margins of said body portion, said wedgerlike members and said flexible pawl being spaced apart a distance not greater than the thickness of the toothed body portion, whereby the body portion is adapted to be secured about a bundle of articles by passing the tail-end portion through the rectangular opening and drawing the same so that the ratchet teeth freely pass between the flexible pawl and the wedge-like members until the strap is taut, wherein the outer of said wedgemovement of said body portion.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS H0112 Aug. 29, 1939 Schmith June 28, 1949 Weckesser May 10, 1960' Rapaoa May 17, 1960 Ha-llsey Jan. 24, 1961 Rifldn Mar. 28, 1961 Pain Nov. 21, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES I.B.M. Tech. Disclosure Bulletin, v01. 2, No. 1, June 1959, page 3. 

1. A UNITARY PLASTIC BUNDLING STRAP ADAPTED TO BE LOOPED UPON ITSELF IN ADJUSTABLE SELF-LOCKING RELATION COMPRISING A TAIL-END PORTION, A BODY PORTION, AN ENLARGED HEAD-END PORTION HAVING A RECTANGULAR OPENING THEREIN, A PAIR OF RIGID WEDGE-LIKE MEMBERS INTEGRAL WITH SAID HEAD-END PORTION AND DISPOSED OPPOSITELY OF EACH OTHER AND WITHIN SAID OPENING, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING ONE SIDE EDGE IN A COMMON PLANE RUNNING TRANSVERSE TO THE OPENING, A FLEXIBLE PAWL INTEGRAL WITH SAID HEAD-END PORTION AND DISPOSED WITHIN SAID OPENING IN SPACED DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE RELATION AND CENTRALLY BETWEEN SAID WEDGE-LIKE MEMBERS, AND A ROW OF RATCHET TEETH FORMED ON AND EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE OPPOSITE FACES OF SAID BODY PORTION IN STAGGERED RELATION, SAID WEDGE-LIKE MEMBERS AND SAID FLEXIBLE PAWL BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE NOT GREATER THAN THE THICKNESS OF THE TOOTHED BODY PORTION, WHEREBY THE BODY PORTION IS ADAPTED TO BE SECURED ABOUT A BUNDLE OF ARTICLES BY PASSING THE TAIL-END PORTION THROUGH THE RECTANGULAR OPENING AND DRAWING THE SAME SO THAT THE RATCHET TEETH FREELY PASS BETWEEN THE FLEXIBLE PAWL AND THE WEDGE-LIKE MEMBERS UNTIL THE STRAP IS TAUT, WHEREIN THE OUTER OF SAID WEDGE-LIKE MEMBERS AND THE FLEXIBLE PAWL WILL ENGAGE OPPOSITE RATCHET TEETH ON THE BODY PORTION PREVENTING REARWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID BODY PORTION. 